Alim Karaca Chosen as Most Successful District Mayor by EGF
Fethiye, MUĞLA – Fethiye Mayor Alim Karaca has been selected as the most successful district mayor in an evaluation organised by the Aegean Journalists Federation (EGF) as part of the January 10 Working Journalists Day events.
The awards, titled “Best of the Aegean,” were determined by votes cast by journalists from eight provinces affiliated with the EGF. Mayor Karaca was recognised for his performance and contributions to local governance in Fethiye.
The award ceremony was held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, in Muğla. The event began at 3:00 PM at the Türkan Saylan Life Center Hall of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, where the award recipients were formally presented with their honours.
Alongside Alim Karaca, the district mayors selected as the most successful in their respective areas are Ahmet Öküzcüoğlu (Alaşehir), Mehmet Erol (Buharkent), Cengiz Arslan (Çameli), Mehmet Demir (Kavaklıdere), Ömer Günel (Kuşadası), Şeniz Doğan (Merkezefendi), Bilal Demirci (Pazarlar) and Tolga Yıldırım (Sinanpaşa).
The EGF awards aim to highlight successful local administrations across the Aegean region of Turkey and to acknowledge public officials who have made notable contributions to their districts.
Source: Fethiye TV
Tuesday Market in Fethiye Postponed Due to Fethiyespor–Galatasaray Match
Fethiye, MUĞLA – The Tuesday Market, traditionally held every week in Fethiye, will be set up on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, due to the Fethiyespor–Galatasaray match scheduled to be played on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
The change was made because the match will take place at Fethiye District Stadium, and officials decided to postpone the market for one day in order to avoid traffic congestion and ensure public safety. The Tuesday Market, which attracts strong interest from local residents, will therefore operate on a different day for this week only.
Authorities stated that market vendors and citizens have been informed in advance to prevent any inconvenience. Residents of Fethiye were advised to plan their shopping accordingly.
Officials also emphasized that there is no change to the market’s location, only the day has been temporarily adjusted. The Tuesday Market will be held in its usual area on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, and will return to its regular Tuesday schedule the following week.
MUSKİ Cleaned 71.5 Kilometres of Streams in Fethiye
Fethiye, MUĞLA – Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Water and Sewerage Administration (MUSKİ) General Directorate teams continued their uninterrupted stream cleaning efforts throughout 2025 in areas posing risks of environmental pollution and flooding.
As part of the works carried out in Fethiye district, MUSKİ teams cleaned a total of 71,500 metres of stream lines. Cleaning operations were completed in Foça (6,500 metres), Karagedik (10,250 metres), Ölüdeniz (13,750 metres), Çiftlik (15,000 metres), Akarca (3,500 metres), Yanıklar (4,700 metres), Babataşı (7,000 metres), Tuzla (1,500 metres), Menteşoğlu (1,000 metres), Karaçulha (5,800 metres), Patlangıç (1,000 metres) and Pazaryeri (1,500 metres).
In a statement, the MUSKİ General Directorate said that the works were carried out in line with Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras’s “Clean Muğla” vision. The statement noted that sediment and waste accumulated in stream beds across various neighbourhoods of Fethiye were meticulously removed to ensure healthy water flow.
Officials emphasized that the comprehensive cleaning efforts not only helped prevent environmental pollution but also served as an important precaution against potential flood risks. MUSKİ stated that, with the goal of a modern infrastructure and a healthy environment, services would continue without interruption in every corner of Muğla in the new year.
Source: https://www.fethiyetv.com/muski-fethiyede-715-kilometre-dere-temizligi-yapti
Muğla Fire Department Responded to 4,811 Incidents in 2025
Muğla, MUĞLA – Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department responded to a total of 4,811 incidents in 2025, providing uninterrupted service to citizens across the province. Grass, stubble and forest fires ranked first among the incidents, with 2,165 interventions recorded during the year.
Operating 24/7 across 13 districts with 40 stations, 160 vehicles and 521 personnel, the Fire Department also responded to 586 traffic accidents and rescues, 751 animal rescues, 246 floods, 125 workplace fires, 380 residential fires, 278 vehicle fires, and 349 other fire-related incidents.
In addition to emergency response, fire teams provided basic fire safety training to 63,546 citizens and carried out fire safety and chimney inspections at 3,401 workplaces throughout the year.
President of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union and Mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Ahmet Aras stated that efforts were ongoing to strengthen the fire department in line with Muğla’s geographical structure and risk map. He noted that personnel capacity was being increased and the fleet modernised, including the planned acquisition of 64 fire trucks and 8 fire tankers, to ensure faster and more effective responses to disasters.
Mayor Aras emphasised that year-round preparations were continuing, particularly against the heightened risk of forest fires in summer, with the aim of minimising loss of life and property. He also thanked fire department personnel for their dedication, underlining that the municipality would continue working with determination to build a strong fire department and a more disaster-resilient Muğla.
Source: https://www.fethiyetv.com/buyuksehir-itfaiyesi-4-bin-811-olaya-mudahale-etti
Heavy Snowfall Cuts Off Access to 157 Villages in Eastern Turkey
Van, TURKEY – Heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions disrupted daily life across eastern Turkey on Monday, cutting off access to 157 villages in the provinces of Van, Hakkari and Bitlis, while teams worked intensively to reopen roads and restore essential services.
According to authorities, 88 village roads in Van were closed due to snow and strong winds. Metropolitan Municipality teams carried out snow-clearing operations throughout the day, while repair work was completed at a pumping station in the Çatak district that had been damaged by an avalanche, restoring drinking water services to the area.
In Hakkari, snow depth in higher elevations reached nearly 2 metres, prompting residents to clear rooftops as municipal and highway crews worked to reopen roads. Of the 89 village roads closed, 64 were reopened, with efforts continuing on the remaining routes. Road-widening work was also carried out on the access road to the Mergabütan Ski Center.
Snowfall and freezing temperatures also affected Muş, where all 368 village roads closed due to snow were reopened. Crews continued road-widening operations and remained on standby for emergencies. Snow-clearing work also continued on the Muş–Mutki road connecting Muş with Bitlis, where progress was slowed by deep snow and blizzard conditions.
In Bitlis, snowfall disrupted transportation in the city center. Officials reported that 44 village roads remained closed, while municipal and provincial teams continued snow removal operations, particularly around schools.
Authorities said snow-clearing efforts would continue across the region to ensure safe transportation and restore access to affected settlements as soon as possible.
Source: Daily Sabah
Researchers in Isparta Develop Cold-Resistant Apples to Protect Yields
Isparta, TURKEY – Researchers in the western province of Isparta, widely regarded as Turkey’s apple-growing heartland, are developing new domestic apple varieties to reduce crop losses caused by agricultural frost.
Although Isparta ranks first nationwide in apple production, increasingly frequent late spring frosts have become a serious threat to yields, particularly in inland regions. To address this risk, the Eğirdir Fruit Research Institute, operating under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, has been carrying out long-term breeding programs focused on late-blooming, cold-resistant apple varieties.
The project aims to minimize frost damage by delaying the flowering period, when apple trees are most vulnerable to sudden drops in temperature. As part of the work, hundreds of apple genotypes derived from both local and international genetic resources have been monitored under field conditions for many years.
The institute maintains a genetic pool of nearly 400 domestic and foreign apple varieties, from which late-blooming types have been selected for controlled cross-breeding. Studies to identify, test and officially register new varieties are ongoing.
Agricultural engineer Turgay Seymen said the research has been underway for nine years. He noted that through controlled hybridization, researchers have developed genotypes that bloom two to three weeks later than standard varieties. Of these, 10 to 15 promising genotypes have advanced to the next stage and are expected to enter yield trials starting next year.
Seymen emphasized that despite having higher chilling requirements, the new genotypes do not cause delays in harvest time, which typically begins in early October. He added that the varieties are primarily intended for inland and transitional regions, which account for about 70 percent of Turkey’s apple production.
The project ultimately aims to reduce frost-related yield losses by 10 to 20 percent, helping safeguard apple production against the growing impacts of climate variability.
Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Climate Change, Pollution and Invasive Species to Dominate Turkey’s Marine Agenda in 2026
Ankara, TURKEY – Climate change, marine pollution, invasive species and the expansion of national monitoring systems were identified as the main priorities for Turkey’s marine science agenda in 2026, following extensive research activities carried out across the country’s seas in 2025, scientists and institute leaders said.
Experts stated that the Sea of Marmara, the Turkish Straits and the Black Sea would remain at the center of scientific focus, with increased emphasis on marine climate monitoring, protection of critical habitats and the integration of scientific data into policy-making processes, particularly ahead of the COP31 climate summit.
The Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TÜDAV) reported that 2025 was a productive year, marked by research cruises, new publications, workshops and international cooperation projects, including coral protection studies. TÜDAV officials stressed that research on mucilage, seagrass meadows, corals and invasive species would continue, while calls for marine protected areas in the Black Sea would be strengthened.
Scientists warned that warming seas are accelerating the spread of invasive species, posing serious risks to marine ecosystems, particularly in the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Research institutions highlighted that more than 100 invasive species have already been identified in the Sea of Marmara alone.
University-based marine institutes reported significant progress in 2025 in climate impact assessment, pollution monitoring, numerical modeling and international data sharing through platforms such as the IPCC and IPBES. Long-term datasets on temperature, oxygen levels, pollutants and mucilage were expanded, while Turkey’s visibility in global marine science initiatives increased.
For 2026, institutions announced plans to establish a National Marine Climate Monitoring Platform, position the Sea of Marmara as a pilot area for climate and pollution interaction studies, expand offshore research, develop early-warning systems using smart sensors, and strengthen international cooperation in areas such as digital twin technologies, marine spatial planning and climate adaptation.
Scientists emphasized that these efforts aim to enhance Turkey’s resilience to climate change, protect marine biodiversity and ensure the sustainable use of seas through science-based decision-making.
Source: Daily Sabah
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